Ethics Complaint Filed Over Grimes Fundraising Emails

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A county clerk in southeastern Kentucky has asked the Executive Branch Ethics Commission to determine the propriety of a fundraising email sent to government email accounts by Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes last week.

Republican Laurel County Clerk Dean Johnson filed the complaint today (Thursday), a week after receiving the email from Grimes, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.

Johnson is asking the Ethics Commission to determine the legality of the secretary of state sending fundraising emails to county clerks who report to her in matters pertaining to elections. Johnson said he believes Grimes acted unethically by using a government email list to raise money and may have also run afoul of state law.

Grimes political adviser Jonathan Hurst had no immediate comment. He had previously said the e-mail was intended only for those who had requested campaign updates.